Leon Day : a baseball life from the Negro Leagues to the Hall of Fame / Bob Luke.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Luke, Bob, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

African American baseball players--Biography.

African American baseball players.

Day, Leon.

Genre:

Biographies.

Physical Description:

x, 196 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Jefferson, North Carolina : McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, [2025]

Summary:

Best known as a Hall of Fame pitcher (1934-1957) for the Baltimore Black Sox, Newark Eagles, and Baltimore Elite Giants, as well as teams in Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Cuba, and Venezuela, Leon Day (1916-1995) often was compared with the more flamboyant Satchel Paige whom he beat in three of four meetings. Day excelled at all positions except catcher and was feared as much for his hitting (.300 plus career batting average) as his pitching. A record seven-time Negro Leagues All-Star and holder of the All-Star games strikeout record, he served as a private in World War II, ducking German bullets on Utah Beach. During retirement, he married the love of his life, worked various odd jobs, faced financial struggles and Jim Crow, and endured a lengthy trek to Cooperstown. Through newspaper accounts and interviews with several people close to him, this book tells his story on and off the field for the first time.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781476696270

1476696276

OCLC:

1501521722

Publisher Number:

90103219335